Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Future Virology, cilt.20, sa.3-4, ss.125-139, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19, a global pandemic characterized by severe neurological symptoms such as cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, post-traumatic stress disorder, and headaches. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has become a valuable indicator of the neurological impact of COVID-19. It has been shown that patients who are severely ill with COVID-19 have very high serum NfL levels, possibly up to ten times higher than in healthy controls. Furthermore, such an increase in NfL levels has been associated with disease severity, ICU admission, and mortality risk. Longitudinal studies confirm that NfL levels continue to be increased in subjects with cognitive impairment following a prolonged acute SARS-CoV-2 infection several months after resolution of infection. However, its usefulness as a marker is impaired by various confounding factors such as age, renal insufficiency and systemic inflammation. Standardization of NfL measurement, a deeper understanding of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and neurodegenerative processes, and comparative studies with other markers such as S100B and GFAP will be crucial to improving its diagnostic accuracy. This paper explores the potential of NfL as a biomarker for neurodegeneration associated with COVID-19 against a backdrop of ongoing controversy and significant limitations in its practical application.